No more airplane mode — Soon, travelers on European Union (EU) airlines will be able to make full use of their phones while flying. The European Commission decided that airlines could offer both 5G technology and slower mobile broadband on board aircraft.
Although it’s not obvious how it will be implemented, this could mean that passengers won’t need to put their phones on airplane mode anymore. The member nations must make the 5G frequency bands accessible to aircraft by 30 June 2023.
As a result, users will be able to make calls and use data-intensive apps that stream music and video while in flight.
Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, said the plan would “enable innovative services for people” and help European companies grow.
“The sky is no longer a limit when it comes to possibilities offered by super-fast, high-capacity connectivity,” he said.